The khalasar arrived at Meereen. It made the two other cities they'd sacked look like toys. Dany gulped when they beheld it for the first time.

"Alright," said Ser Barristan, "what's the plan?"

As if to answer his question, the gates opened, and a Meereenese vanguard road out to meet them. "You are Daenerys Targaryen?" the head rider asked.

"I am," said Dany. "I demand the surrender-"

"Choose a champion," the rider said, drawing a sword. "If I win, you turn around."

Daario, who had gathered the courage to ride up front again, sighed. "Well, Daenerys, as former captain of the Second Sons-"

Dany held up her hand to stop him. "I choose Ser Tohru!"

Tohru drew her arakh and dismounted her horse. The Meereenese champion looked at her and laughed. "This is the best you've got?" he scoffed at Dany.

"Debatable," said Dany. "But she is my champion."

"Little girl," said the champion, "you waste my time. Say goodbye to your friend, Ser Tohru. To balance the playing field, I shall dismount as well."

"No need for that," said Tohru.

The champion laughed again. "As you wish, m'lady." He pointed his sword at her and charged.

Tohru leaped over the man and his horse. The horse was well far away before anyone noticed the champion's head rolling on the ground. The vanguard gasped and screamed.

"Right," said Dany. "Anyone else want to challenge my army?" They backed away slowly. "Right then. Prepare for battle, Meereen. Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Heir to the Iron Throne of Westeros is here!"

As the vanguard returned through the gates, Lucoa, Kanna, and Tohru began lobbing buckets of chains over the walls. They made quick work at conquering Meereen without entering the city much at all. They sent the Unsullied, lead by Grey Worm, into the city to lead the slaves in a revolt. It was the slaves themselves who won the battle, murdering their former owners in the streets. The gates opened in surrender. Tohru hung the Targaryen banner over the harpy on the great pyramid at the center of the city to signal their victory.

Meanwhile, Daario lead a group to capture Meereen's fleet. When he was done, he joined the Queensguard in the pyramid.

"Your Grace," he said upon entering, "Meereen's ships are yours."

Dany was so overjoyed at the news, she threw her arms around Daario. "Then it's settled," she said. "We can go to Westeros now!"

"Dany," said Daario, "if I may, I'm not entirely sure we're ready."

"Not ready? Why not?" asked Lucoa. "We so much as breathed on this thing, and it surrendered!"

"If we'd actually breathed on it, there wouldn't be a city left," said Tohru. Shouta and the dragons laughed and raised a glass to this. Ser Barristan got a good hearty chuckle out of it as well.

"Oh, yes, we're very good at conquering," said Daario. "But, are we good at ruling? Astapor and Yunkai are already re-establishing their slave trades as we speak."

"What?" asked Dany.

"Yeah, sorry to burst your bubble," said Daario. "Perhaps our Queen needs some practice."

"Well, for once, I believe our new friend has made an excellent point," said Ser Barristan. "Perhaps we ought to remain here and attempt to establish some stability. The Great Masters, after all, are still here."

"You're right," said Dany. "And we shall give them a taste of their own medicine. We did, after all, leave the crucifixion posts in tact. We shall ensure our victory by killing them all, the same way they killed those children."

"WOAH," the whole room said.

"That's...that's not quite what I meant," said Ser Barristan.

"Dany, you ought to show mercy. There are more than slaves in this city. If they're going to accept you as their ruler..." Jorah started.

"No," said Dany. "Mercy is for the innocent. The Great Masters must die."

"I and the Unsullied will do this," said Grey Worm.

"Go," said Dany. "Before I change my mind."

Grey Worm left. The room was in silent shock.

Daario broke the silence. "Thank you, by the way, to whichever of you, erm, dragon ladies helped me out there."

"Hm?" asked Tohru.

"What did you say, dear?" Lucoa asked.

"You know," said Daario. "We got ourselves into a tight spot, and, then you popped out of the water."

"THE WATER DRAGON!" Missandei cried. "It's real! You saw it too!"

"WHAT?!" Dany shouted. "There is NO WATER DRAGON!"

Kanna exchanged a panicked look with Jorah. "She's right!" said Kanna. "It was me! I helped!"

"Thank you, beautiful Kanna," said Daario. "I owe my life to you." He stepped forward, took her hand, and kissed it.


Kanna went to the seashore to look for Elma. There weren't many sweets to be found in the newly conquered city, but she hoped some honeyed bread would do the trick. "Elma!" she yelled into the waves. "Elma, I know you're out there! Come on! You helped us once! You can be on our team!"

A strong, forceful hand clapped her on the shoulder. "Jorah?" she asked, turning around. But it was Daario.

"What are you doing out here, all alone?" he asked her.

She smiled nervously. "I like to feed the fish," she said.

Daario laughed. "That's...cute," he said. He put his hand on her shoulder again. "It is very beautiful out tonight."

"It is," she agreed.

"And those are very nice ships," said Daario.

She looked to the fleet. "I suppose they are, yes. Tohru has already started making Targaryen sails for them to replace the harpies."

"She is something else," said Daario. "All of you are."

"This world is nothing like the one we were in before," said Kanna. "But it's odd. It's a very...natural world for dragons to be in."

"I consider myself so lucky to have met you all," said Daario. "I finally feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. But hey. If you don't mind. I have some questions about your kind."

Kanna shrugged. "Sure. There's no reason to have any secrets between us anymore."

"Oh, yes, I do agree very much!" Daario said with a laugh. "So, that Shouta fellow, he was saying that Tohru had a human lover before?"

Kanna could see exactly where this was going, but she played along. "Yes. As did I."

"Really?" Daario asked with raised eyebrow. "And who was this lucky man?"

"Woman," Kanna corrected. "Both of us were with women."

"Ah," said Daario. "I wouldn't have guessed that about you. This is very exciting news."

"Why?" Kanna asked in a bit of disgust.

"Oh, just contemplating the possibilities, is all," said Daario. "Have you ever been with a man?"

"No," said Kanna. "It's funny, really. I was really young when we were in Japan. I kinda just did what I observed Tohru doing."

"You 'observed'?" Daario asked.

Kanna slapped him a little too hard on the arm. "Not like that, you perve! I feel like gender really doesn't matter to me, but I have a very specific taste in men. A kind of man that just didn't exist where I came from."

"You want a real man," Daario clarified.

"Exactly," said Kanna. "A knight."

"Well, I am no knight," said Daario. "But you are absolutely captivating. Would you like to go onto one of those ships with me?"

Kanna had been prepared from the beginning to throw him into the ocean at this suggestion. Yet, something about their conversation had struck her. She had never been with a man before. This one meant absolutely nothing and would move on to the next pretty woman who passed him by. He was not really her type, but she at least wouldn't feel bad about using him.

"Okay," said Kanna.

Daario's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes," said Kanna. "I'd like to try a man." Daario bent down to kiss her, but she blocked him. "No," she said. "This isn't one of those things."

"Ohhh, I see," said Daario. "I respect that."

"Good," said Kanna. "Shall we?"

She was halfway to taking his hand when a familiar voice called to her from the street. "Kanna!"

"Jorah!" Kanna exclaimed.

"What," said Daario.

"Oh, Kanna, I've been looking all over for you!" said Jorah.

"Really? Why?" Kanna asked.

"I noticed you weren't with the other girls. I got worried," said Jorah.

Kanna laughed. "Jorah, you know I can take care of myself," she said.

"Oh, I know," said Jorah. "I didn't mean about that. I meant about the whole deal today. The conquering, the crucifixion..."

"Oh, that," said Kanna. "It's all very shocking."

"I thought you might be avoiding our Queen," said Jorah.

"Oh, no," said Kanna. "I just came here to look for...you know. But while we're on the topic...that was wrong, right? I mean, I freaking hate those guys, but there are better ways..."

"I agree," said Jorah. "I think it is very wise for us to remain here. Our Queen is clearly not ready."

"Ummm," said Daario. "Hello?"

"Daario, I think you should go," said Kanna.

"But, but!" Daario cried.

"I changed my mind," said Kanna. "I'm sorry. I just want to talk to my friend now, if you don't mind."

Daario looked from Kanna to Jorah in disbelief. "Really?!"

"Really," said Kanna. "Buh-bye."

"But!"

"She said, 'buh-bye,' Daario," said Jorah. Daario walked away looking sullen. Jorah laughed. "What was that all about?"

"Desperate measures from a desperate man," Kanna said. "He has his uses, I suppose. But not today." She smiled up at Jorah.

"I'm glad we're friends again, Lady Kanna," said Jorah.

"Me too," said Kanna. "I overreacted a lot. Do you want to try that again?"

"Try what again?" Jorah asked.

She took his hand. "Do you want to go on that ship with me?" asked Kanna.

"Ah, sure," said Jorah. "I haven't seen them yet, and it is nice to get away."

"Mm-hm," said Kanna. They walked onto the ship together. All was quiet. The stars shone down, and the moon was full. Jorah wandered the ship, admiring it, while Kanna looked up at the sky. "Jorah, are there constellations here?"

"Constellations?" asked Jorah.

"You know, pictures made by the stars," said Kanna. "In Japan, there were lots of patterns that were named."

"Ah, yes," said Jorah. "There's a dragon, actually. I think we should be able to see it now." He scanned the skies. "Right there!"

She looked up to where he was pointing. "I never really got constellations. They don't look at all like what they're supposed to."

"No, I suppose they don't," laughed Jorah.

"Like, how is that a dragon?" Kanna asked.

"Those four stars are the tail," said Jorah, pointing. "And those are the wings. And there's the head, above the wings."

"That is a very lame dragon," said Kanna.

"You're right," said Jorah. "But we're going to have to learn the constellations if we're going to travel to Westeros from here. That's how everyone travels."

"That's very inefficient," said Kanna.

"That's the best we've got, I'm afraid," said Jorah.

They stood side by side for a while, looking at the stars. Then, Kanna said, "Jorah, last time we were on a ship together, you told me something very personal about yourself."

"And you hated it," said Jorah.

"Right," said Kanna. "Well, I'm going to do it again."

"Oh, no," Jorah said, trying to be light. "Just when we became friends again."

"I know. I'm sorry," said Kanna. "We might not be friends after this, I'm afraid."

"Perhaps don't say it, then," said Jorah.

"But if I don't...Jorah, I like you," said Kanna.

"I like you too," said Jorah.

"No, not like that," said Kanna. "I...I like you like you like Dany."

Jorah's eyes widened. "What?"

"I tried to tell you last time," said Kanna. "I've wanted to tell you since way back on the Great Grass Sea. You are the only man I've ever felt this way about, and it's because you're completely different from any man I've ever known before. When I met you, it was like, one of the guys from my storybooks came to life. And I know you don't see me the same way. But I think you need to know."

"Kanna," Jorah said. They stared at each other in shock for a while. Jorah spoke again, "Kanna, I am far from a knight from a storybook."

"I know," said Kanna. "You're real. I've accepted that. That's why I'm being real with you, now."

"Kanna, I am old," Jorah laughed.

"I'm 102," said Kanna. "I think I win."

"102?" Jorah gasped.

"Dragons live long," said Kanna.

"I don't know what to say," said Jorah. "You are...a real dragon."

"Does it scare you?" asked Kanna.

"Yes," Jorah admitted. "I didn't even think you were capable...and then me of all people...I am...I am not worthy."

"Shut up," said Kanna, grabbing him by the arm. "Only I get to decide that." She wrapped her arms around his neck. His eyes were full of fear. She let him go. "Okay," she said. "I'm sorry. I'll...I'll go back to the pyramid."

"Wait," said Jorah. "I'm sorry. It's just a lot to process. I don't...I don't want you to go. I...I've lusted after unattainable women my entire sorry existence. And you were, by far, the pinnacle of unattainable."

"Wait," said Kanna. "Are you saying you like me...more than Dany?"

"So much so that I never even let myself consider it," said Jorah. Kanna leaped into his arms, kissing him. Her force nearly knocked him to the ground, but he remained standing. "You're a dragon," he whispered.

"You're a man," she replied.

"I don't know what to do from here," he confessed.

"Me neither," she said. "Let's go."